Fluid dispenser



y 1963 D. R. SOUTHWOOD 3,088,125

FLUIDDISPENSER Filed March 30, 1961 DEWEY R. SOUTHWOOD ATTORNEY 11 Claims. (Cl. 4222) This invention relates to an attachment device for mounting a deodorant container on a toilet bowl. More 4 particularly this invention relates to a device on a toilet bowl which automatically operates a discharge valve on the container and releases a portion of deodorant as weight is applied or removed from the seat. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a device which automatically raises the toilet seat to an upright position as weight is removed from it as well as operating to discharge a portion of deodorant fiuid.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a new and unique device for mounting a deodorant container on a toilet bowl which is responsive to use of the toilet to automatically release a portion of deodorant.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device which would release a portion of deodorant at a time directly prior to use and directly after use.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a device which causes a portion of deodorant fiuid to be discharged both before and after use of the toilet and which also automatically raises the toilet seat to substantially an upright position as weight is removed from it.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following disclosure and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a toilet and the device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2, shown partially in section, is an enlarged side view of the attachment device and showing a portion of the toilet bowl, toilet seat, and deodorant container.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the attachment device with a portion of the toilet bowl shown in section.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, with a portion broken away.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a conventional type toilet bowl with an upper horizontal rim 11. A projecting portion 12 extends rearwardly toward a water closet 13. The portion 12 has vertical openings therein which receive bolts 14- serving to mount a seat structure thereon.

The seat structure includes a horizontal hinge 16 which joins together a back or cover 17 and a seat 18. Small rubber or plastic lugs 19 are provided on the under side of the seat for direct contact with the upper surface of the toilet bowl rim 11.

The present invention pertains to a device for mounting a conventional type container or can 20 containing a fluid or deodorant. The container 20 has a neck portion 21 with an upper horizontal lip or head 22. Projecting upwardly from the neck 21 is an upright valve 23 which upon pressure being applied in any of a plurality of directions will cause the valve to yield and release the pressurized deodorant fluid from the container 20 through a discharge opening 24. The valve has an inclined top surface 23a.

The mounting device includes a horizontal plate 25 having a hole 27 therein for receiving one of the bolts 14. The plate lies atop the rim 11 of the toilet bowl and has a horizontal extension or portion 25a outwardly positioned relative to the rim 11. The outer portion 25a has a circular opening 26 therein through which the neck 21 of the container 20 may project. The container will normally be mounted on the plate 25 by snapping the head or lip 22 through the opening 26. The edges of the opening will effect a frictional gripping action on the head to cause the container to be firmly held by the plate 25.

Just inwardly of the container and also on the plate portion 25a is a pair of upright lugs 30, 31. The lugs 39, 31 have pivot openings, such as at 32, 33, horizontally in registry with one another. A single unitary lever means 35 is disposed between the lugs 30, 31 and has a pair of oppositely projecting sections 36, 37 which extend through the openings 32, 33 and generally define a fore and aft extending horizontal axis for the lever means 35. The lever means also includes one arm or lever 33 which normally projects under the seat 18, its outer end being rounded at 39, and contacts the under side of the seat 13. The lever means 35 also has a lever or arm 41) projecting to the opposite side of the pivot sections 36, 37. The arm 40 lies closely adjacent the valve 23 but normally out of contact therewith.

Carried on the section 37 is a torsion spring 41 anchored to plate portion 25a at one end and wrapped around the lever or arm 38 at its opposite end. As may be clearly appreciated from viewing the figures, the spring 41 biases the lever 38 and seat 18 toward a vertical or upright position.

The device will operate in the following manner. Assuming for the moment that the seat is in its upright position as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the arm 33 will be in an upwardly directed position as regards its pivot and the arm 40 will be in a downwardly directed position and just forwardly of the valve 23. The spring 41 will maintain the arm 38 and seat 18 in this position. As weight is applied to the seat, the arm 38 will be forced downwardly and the arm 41) upwardly. The arm 41 will contact the valve 23 and cause it to yield rearwardly to result in a discharge of deodorant fluid. Upon the seat reaching its horizontal position, as shown in representative form in FIGURE 3, the arm 411 will be above the valve 23 and discharge of the fluid will have ceased.

Upon weight being removed from the seat, the spring 41 will cause the arm 38 to raise the seat 18. This will result in the arm 40 again contacting the valve 23 and causing it to yield rearwardly and again cause a discharge of fluid through the valve opening 24. The arm 49 will pass in contact with the inclined surface 23a of the valve.

There is very little pressure applied to the valve 23. Consequently, merely snapping or passing the bead 22 of the container 21} through the opening 26 in the plate 25 is sufficient to retain the container. However, when it becomes empty, it is an easy matter to replace the can or container.

While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, while the present form was shown and described in detail for the purpose of clearly and concisely illustrating the principles of the invention, it was not intended to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad concept set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment device for mounting a deodorant container of the type having an upper neck portion with a yieldable pressure valve extending therefrom on a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said hinge being attached to the bowl by a vertical bolt extending through the upper portion of the bowl, said attachment device comprising: a horizontal plate lying atop the rim of the bowl and having a hole therein through which said bolt may extend, said plate having a portion thereof extending outwardly of the rim, said portion having an opening therein through which the neck of the container may extend and be frictionally held by the edges of the opening; upwardly projecting lug means on the portion; lever means pivotally mounted on the lug means for movement about a horizontal axis, said means having at least two radial arms relative to its axis, one of which extends under the seat and the other of which extends adjacent to but normally in inoperative relation with the pressure valve; and spring means associated with said lever means for normally biasing said one arm which extends under said seat to raise the latter from a horizontal to an upright position, said other arm being effective in response to movement of the seat between the aforesaid positions to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of deodorant.

2. An attachment device for mounting a deodorant container of the type having a yieldable pressure valve extending therefrom on a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said attachment device comprising: a horizontal plate lying atop and attached to the rim of the bowl and having a portion thereof extending outwardly of the rim, said portion having an opening therein through which the container may extend and be frictionally held by the edges of the opening; upwardly projecting lug means on the portion; lever means pivotally mounted on the lug means for movement about a horizontal axis, said means having at least two radial arms relative to its axis, one of which extends under the seat and the other of which extends adjacent to but normally in inoperative relation with the pressure valve; and spring means associated with said lever means for normally biasing said one arm which extends under said seat to raise the latter from a horizontal to an upright position, said other arm being effective in response to movement of the seat between the afore said positions to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of deodorant.

3. An attachment device for mounting a deodorant container of the type having a yieldable valve extending therefrom on a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said attachment device comprising: a horizontal plate lying atop and attached to the rim of the bowl and having a portion thereof extending outwardly of the rim, said portion having an opening therein through which the container may extend and be frictionally held by the edges of the opening; upwardly projecting lug means on the portion; lever means pivotally mounted on the lug means for movement about a horizontal axis and extending under the seat; and spring means associated with said lever means for normally biasing said seat from a horizontal to an upright position; and means associated with the lever means effective in response to movement of the seat between the aforesaid positions to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of deodorant.

4. An attachment device for mounting a deodorant container of the type having a yieldable valve extending therefrom on a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said attachment device comprising: a horizontal plate lying atop and attached to the rim of the bowl and having a portion thereof extending to one side of the rim, said portion having an opening therein through which the container may extend and be frictionally held by the edges of the opening; projecting lug means on the portion; lever means pivotally mounted on the lug means and extending under the seat; and spring means associated with said lever means for normally biasing said seat from a horizontal to an upright position; and means associated with the lever means effective in response to movement of the seat between the aforesaid positions to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of deodorant.

5. An attachment device for a fluid container of the type having a yieldable pressure valve extending therefrom and a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said attachment device comprising: a supporting structure, disposed adjacent the upper rim of the bowl, and having a portion thereof outward of the rim; means on said portion for gripping the container; lever means pivotally mounted on the supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis, said means having at least two radial arms relative to its axis, one of which extends under the seat and the other of which extends adjacent to but normally in inoperative relation with the pressure valve; and spring means associated with said lever means for normally biasing the lever under said seat to raise the latter from a horizontal to a vertically inclined position, said other arm being effective in response to movement of the seat between the aforesaid positions to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of fluid.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 in which the container is gripped in a fixed position and said other radial arm is positioned relative to the pressure valve so that the arm will contact said valve intermediate the extremes of rockable movement of said arm with the extremes being reached as said seat is in the vertical or horizontal position.

7. The invention defined in claim 5 in which the lever means is a single rigid member with both of said arms being integral with one another.

8. On a toilet bowl having an upper rim, a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge between upright and horizontal positions, the improvement comprising: a horizontal plate lying atop the upper rim of the bowl, said plate having a horizontal extension outward of the rim; a fluid container having an exposed pressure valve; means on the extension gripping the container; lever means pivotally mounted on the extension, said lever means having at least two radial arms, one which extends under the seat and the other of which extends adjacent to but normally in inoperative relation with the pressure valve; and spring means associated with said lever means effective in response to movement of the seat between its horizontal and upright positions to swing said other arm to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of fluid.

9. An attachment device for mounting a deodorant container having a yieldable pressure valve extending therefrom to a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said attachment device comprising: a horizontal plate normally lying atop the upper rim of the bowl, said plate having a portion thereof extending outwardly of the rim, said portion having means thereon for gripping the container; a lever pivotally mounted on the portion and extending adjacent to but normally in inoperative relation with the pressure valve and adapted in its arc of movement to contact said valve in either direction of swing to operate the latter; and spring means associated with said lever in a direction for normally biasing the lever to effect operation of the valve and discharge of deodorant; and means on said lever associated with said seat effective in response to movement of the seat to and from horizontal and upright positions to cause the lever to operate the valve to effect release of a portion of deodorant.

10. An attachment device for mounting a deodorant container having a yieldable pressure valve extending therefrom to a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl for vertical movement about a horizontal hinge, said attachment device comprising: a horizontal plate normally lying atop the upper rim of the bowl, said plate having a portion thereof extending outwardly of the rim, said portion having means thereon for gripping the container; a lever pivotally mounted on the portion and extending adjacent to but normally in inoperative relation with the pressure valve and adapted in its arc of movement to contact said valve in either direction of swing; and means on said lever associated with said seat effective in response to movement of the seat to and from horizontal and upright positions to cause the lever to operate the valve to efiect release of a portion of deodorant.

11. The invention defined in claim 10 in which the container has a round bead thereon and the means for 6 gripping the container is in the form of an opening in the plate slightly smaller than the bead whereby said bead may be snapped in the opening and through the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,534,465 Marini Dec. 19, 1950 2,716,243 Kimzey Aug. 30, 1955 2,830,742 Gibbons et a1. Apr. 15, 1958 2,877,934 Wallace Mar. 17, 1959 2,887,272 Rosenthal May 19, 1959 

4. AN ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR MOUNTING A DEODORANT CONTAINER OF THE TYPE HAVING A YIELDABLE VALVE EXTENDING THEREFROM ON A TOILET BOWL HAVING AN UPPER RIM AND A TOILET SEAT ATTACHED TO THE TOILET BOWL FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL HINGE, SAID ATTACHMENT DEVICE COMPRISING: A HORIZONTAL PLATE LYING ATOP AND ATTACHED TO THE RIM OF THE BOWL AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING TO ONE SIDE OF THE RIM, SAID PORTION HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN THROUGH WHICH THE CONTAINER MAY EXTEND AND BE FRICTIONALLY HELD BY THE EDGES OF THE OPENING; PROJECTING LUG MEANS ON THE PORTION; LEVER MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE LUG MEANS AND EXTENDING UNDER THE SEAT; AND SPRING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID LEVER MEANS FOR NORMALLY BIASING SAID SEAT FROM A HORIZONTAL TO AN UP- 